Albert Jake – Zuni Silversmith, Sand Painter & Potter

About Albert Jake

Born in 1959 in Zuni, New Mexico, Albert Jake began his silversmithing career in 1987, relatively later in life compared to many artists who grow up at the workbench as children. That timing hasn't limited his range, though — Albert is a genuinely versatile artist whose talents extend well beyond jewelry. He is also an accomplished sand painter, a traditional Native American art form using natural pigments to create intricate, symbolic imagery, and he creates pottery as well, placing him among a relatively small group of artists working confidently across several distinct Southwest art traditions at once.

Albert works closely with his brother out of a high-tech silver shop that was originally built by their father, continuing a family workshop that has passed from one generation to the next. Working in a shared space with a sibling is common in Zuni jewelry families, where techniques, tools, and even specific design motifs are often refined collaboratively rather than in isolation.

Identifying Albert Jake's Work

Look for the hallmark A. Jake stamped into his pieces to confirm authenticity. As with many Zuni hallmarks, it's typically small and placed in an inconspicuous spot, so a loupe or magnifier can help when examining an unfamiliar piece.

Style & Craftsmanship

Working from a well-equipped family shop, Albert produces quality silver jewelry that reflects both Zuni tradition and his own personal versatility across mediums. Zuni jewelry is often distinguished from Navajo work by its emphasis on fine stonework and intricate detail, and Albert's cross-disciplinary background in sand painting and pottery shows up in the careful, deliberate composition of his pieces.

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